Ice maker including improved rake assembly

ABSTRACT

An improved icemaker of a household refrigerator has a mold, mold cavities, injector means and a rake assembly for moving the rake across the mold cavities for forcing the ice pieces away from the mold. The rake assembly comprises improved linkage for selectively imparting either substantially uniform sweep or fliptype movement to the rake.

United States Patent Alvarez Oct. 21, 1975 3,398,553 8/1968 Latter etal. 62/71 X [75] Inventor: Robert J. Alvarez, Louisville, Ky. PrimaryExaminer wimam Wayer [73] Assignee: General Electric Company,

Louisville, Ky.

[22] Filed: May 31, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT 21 A l. N 474 896 1 pp 0 Animproved icemaker of a household refrigerator has a mold, mold cavities,injector means and a rake as- [52] U.S. Cl. 62/353 embly for moving therake across the mold cavities [51] Int. Cl. F25C 1/04 for forcing theice pieces away from the mold. The Fleld of Search fake assemblycomprises improved linkage for selee. tively imparting eithersubstantially uniform sweep or [56] References Cited flip-type movementto the rake.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,397,553 8/1968 Crowe et al. 62/353 5 Claims, 3Drawing Figures 40 2o 30 h 46 l u n H H I 2 l H II u I :1 II I II I j JQ? t u I i U.S. Patent 0321,1975 3,913,350

52 FIG, 2

ICE MAKER INCLUDING IMPROVED RAKE ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to an automatic icemaker for use inhousehold refrigerators, said icemaker being of the type shown anddescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,163,017Baker et al. and U.S. Pat. No.3,163,018Shaw. An icemaker of this type comprises a mold including atleast one cavity in which an ice piece or preferably pieces are formed,motor-driven ejecting means including a pad normally positioned in thelower portion of the cavity and movable to a position above the top ofthe cavity for ejecting ice from the cavity and a pivotal sweep or rakeelement actuatable after the ice has been raised to its upper positionfor movement across the top of the mold cavity to remove the ice fromthe pad and sweep it into an ice storage receptacle positioned below andto one side of the mold. The sweep means disclosed in the aforementionedpatents moves about a pivot axis above the cavity from a normal positionrearward of the cavity through an arcu ate path to a point above thecavity. The sweep is driven by the same motor driving the ejecting meansand, in order to provide sufficient force to assure separation of theice from the pad, the drive connection includes a gear reduction withthe result that the sweep moves at a relatively slow speed.

Due to the low speed at which the sweep means moves across the mold, theice is only swept over the edge of the mold with the result thatsubstantially all of the ice collects in a pile immediately adjacent themold rather than being distributed throughout the receptacle.

The rack assembly was subsequently improved as set forth in U.S. Pat.No. 3,397,553Crowe et al. wherein the ice-maker of the above type wasprovided with a rake assembly which had energy storing means operablefor imparting sufficient velocity to an ice piece to propel the icebeyond the adjacent front edge of the mold.

Although this rake assembly provided the desired force on the icepieces, it was subsequently discovered that the linkage could be moreefficiently constructed. Further, it was desirable to provide a linkagethat is of a reduced number of elements and of elements which could beeasily manipulated to change the action of the rake betweensubstantially uniform sweep movement and the flip-type movement.

By so providing an assembly whereby the type of rake movement couldeasily be changed, the icemaker assembly could be easily converted foruse with ice receptacles-dispensing systems of different constructionand placement.

One type ice receptacle-dispensing system functions most efficientlywhen associated with a substantially uniform sweep type rake movementwherein the ice pieces are deposited in a generally uniform location inthe dispenser. Another ice receptacle-dispensing system functions mosteffectively when associated with a flip-type rake with which the icepieces are randomly deposited in the dispenser.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention therefore resides in an icemakerof a household refrigerator which has a mold, mold cavities, ejectormeans for selectively moving ice pieces from the mold cavities, a rakeassembly movable across the mold cavities for forcing ice pieces awayfrom the mold, and power means connected to the ejector means and therake. The rake has first and second end portions. The first end portionhas first and second openings and a slot extending therethrough. Thesecond end portion is pivotally connected to support means. A driveshaft of the power means rotatably extends through the first opening ofthe rake and is removably, fixedly attached to a dog which has a drivearm extending outwardly therefrom. The dog is movable between a firstposition at which the drive arm extends through the second opening andthe second position at which the drive arm extends through the slot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, frontal viewin partial section of an icemaker having the apparatus of this inventionfor providing generally uniform sweep of the ice rake;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic, side view in partial section of a portion ofthe rake assembly of this invention with the rake located at a firstposition and having a biasing spring for providing a flip-type sweep ofthe ice rake; and

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic, side view in partial section of a portion ofthe rake assembly of this invention with the rake located at a secondposition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the embodiment of FIG. 1, ahousehold refrigerator 10 has an automatic icemaker 12 positioned in thefreezer compartment thereof. The icemaker 12 has a mold 14, moldcavities l6, ejector means 18 for selectively moving ice pieces (notshown) from the mold cavities 16, a rake 20 selectively movable acrossthe mold cavities 16 for forcing ice pieces away from the mold 14, andpower means 22 connected to the ejector means 18 and the rake 20 for theoperation thereof. These elements are known in the art as set forthabove.

With reference to FIGS. l-3, the rake 20 has first and second endportions 24, 26. The rake 20 extends along the length of the mold 14 andis positioned adjacent and at a higher elevation than the mold 14 forpivotal movement across the upper surface thereof.

The first end portion 24 of the rake extends outwardly from the rakebody to form a rake flange 28. The rake flange 28 has first and secondopenings 30, 32 and a slot 34 formed therethrough. A third opening 36can be provided for attaching a hereafter more fully described biasingmeans 38 to the rake 20 (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

A shaft 40 of the power means 22 extends through the first opening 30and is rotatable therein. The shaft 40 forms a support for and aboutwhich the rake 20 pivots during the operation thereof. The second endportion 26 of the rake 20 is pivotally connected to support means 42(see FIG. 1).

The openings 30, 32 and 36 and the slot 34 are spaced one from the otherand are relatively located for preselected control of the rake 20. It isnoted in FIGS. 2 and 3 that the first and second openings 30, 32 and theslot 34 generally lie on a common plane with the third opening 36 beingspaced from the plane and adjacent the second opening 32 with a lineconnecting the second and third openings 32, 36 forming an acute anglewith the common plane. The width W of the rake is also directed ingenerally the same direction as the common plane.

A dog 44 has a drive arm 46 extending outwardly therefrom. The dog 44 isreleasably, fixedly attached to the drive shaft 40 for movementtherewith.

The dog is positionable on the shaft at one of first or second positionsrelative to the rake flange 28. FIG. 1 shows the dog at the firstposition with the drive arm 46 extending through the second opening 32of the rake flange 28 for fixing the rake 20 to the dog 44 for movementtherewith. FIGS. 2 and 3 show the dog 44 at the second position with thedrive arm 46 extending into the slot 34 of the rake flange 28 fordelayed, controllable movement of the rake 20 relative to the dog 44 andthe drive shaft 40. At the first position of the dog 44, the rake 20 isconnected to the shaft 40 to provide substantially uniform pivotalmovement of the rake 20. At the second position, the rake 20 isconnected to the shaft 40 to provide a flip-type movement of the rake20.

In the second position of the dog 44, a biasing means is connected tothe rake 20 at a location, for example the third opening 36, forselectively exerting a biasing force on the rake.

The biasing means 38 is preferably connected to the first end portion 24of the rake 20 to avoid placing torsional forces on the rake bodybetween the first and second end portions 24, 26. The biasing means 38is preferably a helically coiled spring having first and second arms 48,50 that form an acute angle one with the other. The first arm 48 isconnected to the rake 20 and the second arm is connected to a supportstructure 52 which can be a portion of the mold 14.

It should be understood, however, that the biasing means 38 can be ofother construction.

Referring to FIG. 2, the shaft 40 can be releasably affixed to the dog44 by providing a non-circular shaft in the first opening 30.

In operation of the apparatus, the ejector means is actuated to push icepieces upwardly out of the mold cavities 16. At about the uppermostextension of the ice pieces, the rake is actuated to pivotally moveacross the mold and displace the ice pieces from the mold 14 into anadjacent ice receptacle. The rake is thereafter pivotally moved backover the mold 14 to its original position and another ice-making cylceis initiated.

Where the drive arm 46 of the dog 44 is positioned in the second opening32 of the rake flange 28, the rake 20 is affixed to the drive shaft 40and moves therewith to provide a substantially uniform pivotal movementof the rake 20 across the mold cavities 16. At this position of the dog44, the rake causes the ice pieces to be generally uniformly depositedin the adjacent receptacle.

Where it is desirable to move the ice pieces greater relative distancesfrom the mold during rake operations, the drive arm 46 of the dog 44 ispositioned in the slot 34 of the rake flange 28 and the biasing means 38is attached to the rake 20.

Upon initiation of raking operations, the drive shaft 40 rotates andmoves the drive arm 46 through the slot 34 from the first position Ashown in FIG. 2 to the intermediate position B shown by broken lines inFIG. 2. Continued rotation of the drive shaft 40 causes the drive arm 46to contact the rake flange 28, thereby causing rake 20 to pivot from thefirst position of the rake 20 (FIG. 2) across the mold cavities 16.

At a location between the intermediate position B of the drive arm andthe second position of the drive arm and rake, as shown in FIG. 3, therake flange 28 is moved to a position at which the biasing means 38exerts a force on the rake 20 that has a moment relative to the shaft40. The full spring force thus is placed on the rake in a directioncomplementary with the power means and causes the movement of the raketo accelerate toward and to the second position shown in FIG. 3, therebyflipping or driving contacting ice pieces outwardly from the molds 14.

Acceleration of the rake 20 in response to the biasing force is providedby the fact that the rake flange is fixed to shaft 40 through the drivearm 46 of the dog 44with the shaft 40 rotating freely within the rakeflange slot 34. The full biasing force is therefore imparted to the rake20 for acceleration of the rake.

During the acceleration portion of the rake movement, the rake pivotsfreely about shaft 40 owing to the fact that the drive arm 46 of the dog44 is within the slot 34 and not contacting the rake flange 28. At theinitiation of the acceleration portion of rake movement, the drive arm46 is at position B relative to the slot 34 and at the termination ofthe acceleration portion of rake movement the drive arm 46 is atposition A relative to the slot 34.

At the termination of the acceleration portion of rake movement, the dogcan continue to move, thereby driving the drive arm 46 of the dog 44through the slot 34 from position A to position B and continue to rotateif further rake movement is desired, or the rake can be immediatelyreturned to the position of FIGS. 1 and 2 for initiation of a new cycle.FIG. 3 shows the drive arm 46 returned to position B and rake 20 furtherpivoted in response to further rotation of the drive arm 46 in contactwith the rake flange 28.

The arcuate length of the acceleration portion of the rake movement isdependent upon the width of the slot 34. The slot width can be easilydetermined by one skilled in the art after the sizes of the associatedequipment have been established. One embodiment of this. inventioneffectively utilizes a slot width sufficient for that this invention isnot to be unduly limited thereto.

What is claimed is: 1. In an icemaker of a household refrigerator havinga mold, mold cavities, ejector means for selectively moving ice piecesfrom the mold cavities, a rake selectively movable across the moldcavities for forcing ice pieces away from the mold, and power meansconnected to the ejector means and the rake, the improvement comprising:

said rake having first and second end portions, said first end portionhaving first and second openings and a slot extending therethrough, saidsecond end portion being pivotally connected to support means, and saidfirst opening having a drive shaft of the power means extendingtherethrough and being rotatably movable therein; and

a dog having a drive arm extending outwardly therefrom, said dog beingreleasably, fixedly attached to the drive shaft and being positionableat one of a first position at which the drive arm extends through thesecond opening or a second position at 5 which the drive arm extendsthrough the slot of the first end portion of the rake. 2. Apparatus, asset forth in claim 1, wherein the dog is at the second position andincluding biasing means connected to the rake at a location forselectively exerting a biasing force on the rake in a direction formoving the rake across the mold cavities at a preselected location ofthe rake on its pathway across the mold cavities. v

3. Apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the biasing means isconnected to the first end portion of the rake.

4. Apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the biasing means is ahelically coiled spring having a first arm connected to the rake and asecond arm connected to a support structure.

5. Apparatus, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the first arm isconnected to the first end portion of the rake.

1. In an icemaker of a household refrigerator having a mold, moldcavities, ejector means for selectively moving ice pieces from the moldcavities, a rake selectively movable across the mold cavities forforcing ice pieces away from the mold, and power means connected to theejector means and the rake, the improvement comprising: said rake havingfirst and second end portions, said first end portion having first andsecond openings and a slot extending therethrough, said second endportion being pivotally connected to support means, and said firstopening having a drive shaft of the power means extending therethroughand being rotatably movable therein; and a dog having a drive armextending outwardly therefrom, said dog being releasably, fixedlyattached to the drive shaft and being positionable at one of a firstposition at which the drive arm extends through the second opening or asecond position at which the drive arm extends through the slot of thefirst end portion of the rake.
 2. Apparatus, as set forth in claim 1,wherein the dog is at the second position and including biasing meansconnected to the rake at a location for selectively exerting a biasingforce on the rake in a direction for moving the rake across the moldcavities at a preselected location of the rake on its pathway across themold cavities.
 3. Apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein thebiasing means is connected to the first end portion of the rake. 4.Apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the biasing means is ahelically coiled spring having a first arm connected to the rake and asecond arm connected to a support structure.
 5. Apparatus, as set forthin claim 4, wherein the first arm is connected to the first end portionof the rake.